Diebold related boycott

[ChrisPhx]

I'm wondering if anyone has checked into the possibility of a Diebold related boycott. Or has information that would help facilitate one.

I went through my ATM drive through yesterday and lo and behold what did it say on the machine? Diebold.

I ran a quick google on Diebold ATM machines, and it appears there are other manufacturers out there.

Also it appears that at some point their stock had taken a hit already due to the voting machine controversey and legal problems.

I'm not sure how widely the Diebold ATM machines are used, but if there are other banks in my area that don't use Diebold for their ATMs: I could move my account to one of them and let them know why.

Diebold apparently has had worm or virus problems with its ATMS as well.

[bemis12]

1. If you do that

The only business that might be hurt is the bank. They're not going to throw away their ATM.

Then again, depending on the size of your account, your bank might just be ahead if you went to another bank.

[ChrisPhx]

2. If a lot of folks do it, it is a movement

If one person does it, it is a statement.

If a dozen do it, it's a bigger statement.

If thousands of people do it, then it becomes a movement with a clear message.

[KaliTracy]

3. Diebold has many pans in the fire

It would take a LOT of publicity to boycott DIebold.... especially if we couldn't even get more than a few hundred people on each capital...

From I, Cringely -- December 2003!

"Having the voting machines not be auditable seems to have been a bad move on somebody's part, whoever that somebody is."

"Now here's the really interesting part. Forgetting for a moment Diebold's voting machines, let's look at the other equipment they make. Diebold makes a lot of ATM machines. They make machines that sell tickets for trains and subways. They make store checkout scanners, including self-service scanners. They make machines that allow access to buildings for people with magnetic cards. They make machines that use magnetic cards for payment in closed systems like university dining rooms. All of these are machines that involve data input that results in a transaction, just like a voting machine. But unlike a voting machine, every one of these other kinds of Diebold machines -- EVERY ONE -- creates a paper trail and can be audited. Would Citibank have it any other way? Would Home Depot? Would the CIA? Of course not. These machines affect the livelihood of their owners. If they can't be audited they can't be trusted. If they can't be trusted they won't be used."


http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20031204.html

part 2 column: http://www.pbs.org/cringely/pulpit/pulpit20031211.html

[carolinalady]

4. Some of us can't do that.

My bank account is such that I am only permitted 3 visits with a teller a month this includes drive through so I have to use ATMs.

[lenidog]

5. I am off the track here

You can only visit your teller three times a month? What does that mean you can't just walk in to your bank or use the drive through more than three times a month without getting a charge?

[carolinalady]

7. yes that is exactly what that means I do all deposits/withdraws

from atm If I use teller more than 3 times I get a fee. I am disabled and can not afford unnessecary fees.

[lenidog]

8. What bank is that?

So I never got there. Hell I go to my bank at least 4 times a month to cash and or deposit my check. That is insane!!

[carolinalady]

9. Bank of America

[bemis12]

10. A great reason to go to any other bank.

Presumably there are choices. Small banks have sprung up everywhere to re-supply the service that these monster banks cannot.

[lenidog]

13. Even my bank

Which is Commerce and isn't exactly tiny hasn't tried to pull that one. About two years ago a small bank opened up in my area for exactly the same reason you stated. We also still have in this area the East Prospect National Bank, independent and with one branch and about four atms.

[lenidog]

12. I would be so gone

and before I go I would tell them exactly why. That is probably the MOST BS ridden fee I have ever heard. I don't know the size of the town you live in (It may be the only bank there.) But if it isn't I would take my business elsewhere. Even the most screwed up and fee crazy bank up in my neck of the woulds M&T hasn't got the courage to pull that off.

[ChrisPhx]

16. Sometimes you can't take part in

some of a movement, especially if it is due to limited resources or difficulty getting around.

I'm also on disability, so I really understand that situation.

Everyone just does what they can, it's all they can, all anyone can reasonably expect.

[ChrisPhx]

6. Other banks may have non diebold ATM's

The idea would be to switch.

[EFerrari]

19. That's right, Chris but also to let them all know we mean

business. To wake up the financial sector to the fact that we know where the bottom line is -- pretty good for woolly headed liberals <g>.

[ChrisPhx]

21. That's right,, we'll burst another neocon bubble

Personally I'm a CPA, non practicing.

But yes, let them know we be serious, that we know where and how to move to have an impact.

[Pithy Cherub]

11. Might it be more effective to get a list of financial institutions

that use Diebold. A mass letter writing campaign saying they are using machinery and defective source code to tabulate votes. What assurance are prevalent in your instituion to ensure this is transparent. Then ask Diebold in light of these transparent efforts why the voting machines do not have the same level of transparency as it does for financial institutions. In a further PR coup it should be mentioned in the letters to the financial institutions of the CEO of that firm saying he would get OHIO to go for *.

[ccarter84]

14. There ya go

Banks, like many institutions don't like having a bad reputation or even a hint at a bad reputation, if they get pressured by a well publicized group, the PR people get worried, and in turn apply pressure to the company in question *diebold* or change their practices (and start supporting other companies)

excellent idea Pithy

[ChrisPhx]

15. Sounds like a good idea

Anyone able to come up with such a list of financial institutions that use Diebold?

[EFerrari]

18. We don't have to! All we have to do is call/write our banks

and let them know we will be boycotting atms until the BANK can assure us they don't do business with Diebold or any other company implicated in stealing our votes or, more tactfully, in obscuring what should be a transparent free voting process.

"Can't trust them with our vote, won't trust them with our money."

The unions will love this because it will mean jobs for people, not machines.

I've been trying to figger a way to get it going during this holiday season but, to much to do ;(

It would be really easy, though. Three paragraphs, a few endorsements and some placement. (Help me, Obi Wan)

If I write thr graphs, can someone help me contact labor?

[Democrat Dragon]

17. What about stocks?

Does Diebold sell stocks? we can urge others to boycott those too.

[ChrisPhx]

20. Yes, I read stock value had gone down..

already due to the controversey re the voting machines.

So the stock is out there somewhere.

I'd like to see it do a Sinclair. ;)

[rainbow4321]

22. They need to take their paws off our founding papers' security

Guess who is in charge of the papers' security...hmmm..so was this another no-other-bidder case.

http://www.diebold.com/charters.htm

Diebold, Incorporated is now safeguarding the foundation of America’s history, the Charters of Freedom: the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights, in three customized high-tech vaults installed at the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. The recently renovated rotunda and re-encasement of the Charter documents is being unveiled to the public on Thursday, September 18, 2003 at 10 a.m.

The archive renovation includes an overhaul of the security system safeguarding the charters, eliminating the steps in the Rotunda so these important documents of American history are accessible to all visitors. The transformation also includes a redesign of the permanent exhibit cases so all four pages of the U.S. Constitution are prominently displayed.

Diebold protects everything from countless amounts of currency, to securing the world’s most precious gem, the Hope Diamond at the Smithsonian Institution.

To complement the installation of the vaults, Diebold also installed a state-of-the-art physical security system that allows these priceless documents to be displayed during the day and housed in the safety of secure vaults overnight. Diebold was recently named the country’s second largest security systems integrator by Security Distributing and Marketing magazine.